• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.64-73
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• 2024

This study investigated associations between healthy dietary practices and the odds of prediabetes among Korean adolescents. The data of 1,624 adolescents aged 12 to 18 who participated in the 2017-2021 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were analyzed. Healthy dietary practices were defined according to Health Plan 2030 criteria, and prediabetes was defined as a fasting blood glucose level of 100-125 mg/dL. After controlling for confounders, adjusting odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for prediabetes were determined for different healthy dietary practices using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Compared with adolescents who engaged in healthy dietary practices, those who did not had a 1.63-fold (95% CI: 1.12-2.37) higher odds of prediabetes. In addition, adolescents who did not consume ≥500 g of fruit and vegetables daily and those who refrained from reading nutritional fact labels, which are both sub-indicators of healthy dietary practices, had a 1.66 (95% CI: 1.05-2.62) and 1.58-fold (95% CI: 1.06-2.37) higher odds of prediabetes, respectively, than those who did. Increasing the proportion of adolescents engaging in healthy dietary practices, such as consuming ≥500 g of fruit and vegetables daily and reading nutritional fact labels when selecting food, is imperative.

• Proceedings of the KSCN Conference
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• 2001.05a
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• pp.397-401
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• 2001

• Proceedings of the KSCN Conference
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• 2001.05a
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• pp.402-412
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• 2001

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.9
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• pp.4439-4444
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• 2016

The objective of this case-control study was to determine anthropometric and reproductive factors associated with the development of breast cancer among women. Fifty-six newly diagnosed breast cancer patients were recruited from the Oncology Clinic, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), and 56 healthy female hospital employees were recruited as controls. Socio-demographic and reproductive data were obtained using a standard questionnaire. Anthropometric factors (body weight, height, body fat percentage, visceral fat and waist and hip circumference) were assessed. A high waist circumference (adjusted OR= 1.04, [95% CI: 1.00, 1.09]) and being more than 30 years of age at first full-term pregnancy (adjusted OR=3.77, [95% CI: 1.10, 12.90]) were predictors of breast cancer development. The results of this study indicate that weight and reproductive health management should be emphasized for breast cancer prevention in Malaysia.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.73-82
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• 2023

Since delivery food has become a new dietary culture, this study examines consumer awareness through big data analysis. We present the direction of delivery food for healthy eating culture and identify the current state of consumer awareness. Resources for big data analysis were mainly articles written by consumers on various websites; the collection period was divided into before and after COVID-19. Results of the big data analysis revealed that before COVID-19, delivery food was recognized as a limited product as a meal concept, but after COVID-19, it was recognized as a new shopping list and a new product for home parties. This study concludes by suggesting a new direction for healthy eating culture.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.409-416
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• 2010

This study was carried out to investigate the eating habits and preference of snacks for students in Chungnam province. Questionnaires were collected from 333 students, which were divided into male and female, food nutrition majors and non-majors, and weight groups according to BMI. The results obtained were as follows; 1. 62.8% of students responded that they were healthy. A significant difference on the health question was found between male and female students (p<.05). Male students responded more positively to the question related to health than the females, saying they felt healthy (71.1%). There was no significance between the different majors, but a significant difference was found in weight groups compared to normal groups (p<.05). 2. 72.1% of respondents enjoyed omnivorous meals. The significant differences were not found in gender groups and major groups. However, there was a significant difference between the weights of the students (p<.01). 3. Most of the students liked sweet foods (42.3%). The significant difference was found in gender groups for food tastes. The male students preferred spicy foods (37.0%), but the females preferred sweet foods (49.5%). Taste for the major and weight groups was not significantly different. 4. 50.5% of respondents answered that they frequently ate snacks. The significance was found in gender groups (p<.01). The females had a higher intake of snacks than the males. The significant difference for taste was not shown in the major group, but was found in the weight groups (p<.05). 5. Students preferred snacks and candy (16.8%). The males liked dairy products (19.3%), while the females preferred snacks and candy (23.7%). Students majoring in food nutrition have a tendency to prefer snacks (32.1%). Appropriate calorie intake and desirable eating habits should be recommended for healthy control and maintenance of students through eating nutritionally balanced foods.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.61-70
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• 2020

Objectives: This study examined the association of the total diet quality with the incidence risk of metabolic syndrome constituents and metabolic syndrome among Korean adults. Methods: Based on a community-based cohort of the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES) from 2001 to 2014, data from a total of 5,549 subjects (2,805 men & 2,744 women) aged 40~69 years at the baseline with a total follow-up period of 38,166 person-years were analyzed. The criteria of the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel was employed to define metabolic syndrome. The total diet quality was estimated using the Korean Healthy Eating Index (KHEI). Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for risk of metabolic syndrome constituents and metabolic syndrome in relation to KHEI quintile groups was calculated by multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression model. Results: After adjusting for age, energy intake, income, education, physical activity, smoking, and drinking, the incidence of abdominal obesity and high blood pressure was significantly lower, by approximately 29.7% (P < 0.01) and 25.2% (P < 0.01), respectively, in the fifth KHEI quintile compared to the first quintile in men. A significant decreasing trend of the metabolic syndrome incidence was observed across the improving levels of KHEI (HRq5vs.q1: 0.775, 95% CIq5vs.q1: 0.619~0.971, P for trend < 0.01). In women, the incidence of abdominal obesity and metabolic syndrome was significantly lower, by approximately 29.8% (P < 0.01) and 22.5% (P < 0.05), respectively, in the fifth KHEI quintile compared to the first quintile adjusting for multiple covariates. On the other hand, the linear trend of metabolic syndrome risk across the KHEI levels did not reach the significance level. Conclusions: A better diet quality can prevent future metabolic syndrome and its certain risk factors among Korean men and women.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.182-187
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• 2016

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Supplementation with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) has been shown to generally decrease levels of innate immune markers and inflammatory cytokines, but the specific associations between blood levels of PUFAs and those of innate immune markers have not been investigated. Thus, the present study was conducted to test the hypothesis that innate immune markers as well as cytokines are negatively associated with n-3 PUFAs but positively associated with n-6 PUFAs in healthy adults. MATERIALS/METHODS: One hundred sixty-five healthy Korean adults aged 25-70 years old were included in this cross-sectional study. RESULTS: Serum levels of n-3 PUFAs, such as 18:3n3, 20:5n3, 22:5n3, and 22:6n3 were negatively correlated with eosinophil and basophil counts and $TNF-{\alpha}$, $IFN-{\gamma}$, IL-4, and IL-10 levels. Multivariate analysis also showed that serum levels of n-3 PUFAs were negatively associated with monocyte, eosinophil, and basophil counts and $TNF-{\alpha}$, $IFN-{\gamma}$, IL-4, and IL-12 levels. Additionally, the ratio of 20:4n6 to 20:5n3 was positively correlated with eosinophil counts and associated with $TNF-{\alpha}$, $IFN-{\gamma}$, and IL-4 levels. However, NK cell activity was not associated with serum fatty acid composition. CONCLUSIONS: Innate immune markers such as eosinophil, monocyte, and basophil counts were inversely associated with serum levels of n-3 PUFAs, but were positively associated with the 20:4n6/20:5n3 ratio in this population.

• Nutritional Sciences
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.42-46
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• 2000

The purpose of this study was to examine the intake of Cr, Cu, and Zn, which play important roles in lipid metabolism, and the relationship of these microminerals with serum lipids of healthy college living in the Choongnam area. The nutritional status of the subjects(35 women) was evaluated based on anthropometric measurements, 24-hr dietary recall for 3 days. Three-day meals and fasting blood were collected to analyze Cr, Cu, and Zn. The mean age, height, weight and BMI were 20 years, 158 cm, 55kg and 22.42kg/$m^2$ respectively. The mean daily energy intake was 85.9% of RDA for Koreans. The ratio of energy from carbohydrate, protein and fat was 60 : 24 : 16. The mean daily intake of Cr, Cu, and Zn was 60.07 $\mu\textrm{g}$/day, 2.64 mg/day, and 11.35 mg/day, respectively. The mean serum levels of Cr, Cu, and Zn were 143$\mu$g/dl, 81.34$\mu$g/dl, adn 101.54$\mu$g/dl, respectively. The mean serum levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol were 158.56mg/dl, 29.27 mg/dl, 56.00mg/dl, 6.12mg/dl, respectively. In conclusion, the subjects of the present study were healthy and consumed normal levls of dietary Cr, Cu and Zn, which play roles in lipid metabolism. Therefore, serum lipids of the subjects were all in the normal range. There was no significant correlation between dietary microminerals and serum lipids.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.290-299
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• 2017

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Spirulina is a known a functional food related to lipid profiles, immune functions, and antioxidant capacity. Circulating monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) level is associated with inflammation markers. Single nucleotide polymorphism in the MCP-1 promoter region -2518 have been identified and shown to affect gene transcription. Gene variation may also impact functional food supplementary effects. The current study investigated the interaction of MCP-1 -2518 polymorphism with spirulina supplements on anti-inflammatory capacity in Korean elderly. SUBJECTS/METHODS: After genotyping, healthy elderly subjects (n = 78) were included in a randomized, double blind, and placebo controlled study. Baseline characteristic, body composition, and dietary intake were measured twice (baseline vs. week 16). For 16 weeks, subjects consumed 8 g either spirulina or placebo daily. Plasma MCP-1, interleukin (IL) -2, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$, complement (C) 3, immunoglobulin (Ig) G, and Ig A concentrations and lymphocyte proliferation rate (LPR) were analyzed as inflammatory markers. RESULTS: In the placebo group with A/A genotype, MCP-1 level was significantly increased, but the spirulina group with A/A genotype was unchanged. IL-2 was significantly increased only in subjects with spirulina supplementation. TNF-${\alpha}$ was significantly reduced in subjects with the G carrier. C3 was significantly increased in the placebo group, particularly when A/A increased more than G, but not when spirulina was ingested. LPR was significantly different only in subjects with A/A genotype; there was a significant increase in phytohemagglutinin and lipopolysaccharide induced LPR in the spirulina group. CONCLUSION: In healthy Korean elderly, spirulina supplementation may influence different inflammatory markers by the MCP-1 genotype. These results may be useful for customized dietary guidelines to improve immune function in Koreans.